This invention relates generally to multi-CD players and more specifically, to a multi-CD player having a quick scanning feature.
Audio compact disc (CD) players are a popular means of reproducing high-quality music. As CD players have become more sophisticated, the ability of the CD player to handle multiple audio CD's has become common. Typically, a low-cost multi-CD player can handle from three to six audio CD's. More expensive models can handle ten or more CD's while "jukebox" CD players can handle dozens of CD's. In all of these multi-CD players, a user can select which CD to automatically load onto the CD playing mechanism by, for example, pressing a button. A CD corresponding to a button press is then taken from a CD storage area within the player, such as a CD tray, and placed on the CD playback mechanism.
In the case of CD jukeboxes, since there are a large number of CD's loaded into the machine, a visual display is usually provided so that the user may quickly determine which CD to select. However, such displays are relatively expensive and are not found in the cheaper multi-CD players. Also, the displays are not entirely convenient since a user of the multi-CD player often wishes to switch the CD being played by using a remote control unit from across the room. Since the display can only be seen from up-close the user is not able to effectively use the remote control to switch CD's.
Even in the lower cost multi-CD players where there may be, for example, six CD's, a user often forgets which CD's are loaded into the device and has to play each CD in succession in order to find the particular CD of interest. This is very inconvenient because the lower cost multi-CD players, and even the higher cost multi-CD players, require 10-15 seconds to load, spin up, and begin playing each CD. Thus, where there are six CD's in a device it may take a minute or more to discover the CD of interest.
It is therefore desirable to have a quick scanning feature in multi-CD players so that a user can quickly determine and select a desired CD for playback.